National Formosan Subterranean Termite Program

Home Tips

Breaking the Termite Triangle

Termites need three things to thrive: food, moisture and shelter. Don't give them what they need!

Don't feed them.

• Keep your gutters clean. Wet leaves provide moisture and food for the pests, and since the gutters are attached to your home, it's an easy point of entry. Clogged gutters can also contribute to moisture problems by soaking wood off the roof and fascia boards. Wood piles and construction debris, boards left touching the ground or fences without proper ground clearance can all be food sources. Cardboard is also a favorite food of termites and damp cardboard around or under a house could provide an ideal opportunity for termites.
  
  
• Building a deck? Make concrete barriers part of your plan and be sure to use borate- treated, pressurized wood. The USDA's Forest Service has a bulletin on subterranean termites with helpful hints on construction practices. Your contractor may also have suggestions for preventing termite infestations. Stucco facades extending near or into the soil surface provide a haven for termites, allowing them to move into a home undetected.

Don't give them moisture.

• Make sure the air conditioner tank is at least four inches from your house. Don't let it leak near your house.
  
  
• Dryers should vent away from the house--the warm air is moisture-saturated from dried clothes. Washers should drain away from the house, too.
  
• Check for leaky faucets. Make fixing them a priority.
  
  
• Flat roofs are a bad idea; they harbor moisture and invite infestation.
  
  
• Summer sprinkler play is fun for kids, but make sure the faucet is turned off--tightly--after the water games are finished. Insulation around pipes should not extend all the way from the house to the soil. After cold spells are over, the insulation should be removed or at least have a gap large enough to allow homeowners to detect termites.

Don't give them easy access to shelter.

• Keep vines, flower gardens and storage containers away from your house. Make a garden path if you must have them close by. Their roots feed the termites, and the leaves give the termites the moisture and shade they crave. Also, you won't be able to see the clay tubes the termites make to sneak into your home.
  
  
• Check your house for stains, holes and other infestation signs. Wings on your window sill, particularly inside the house, are a sign that you need to have your home checked; don't just hope the problem will go away.

When it's time for treatment

• It's best to call a professional pest control company when you have an infestation. They have the equipment and expertise necessary to do the job thoroughly. They can also check your home for potential access points. The same is true for treating infested trees in your yard. Although new chemical treatments will be available soon for trees, a professional can provide more intensive treatments.
  
  
• After treatment, check your home for termites regularly. There's even discussion about making five-year treatments a standard part of prevention.